Sealing means for rotary regenerative heat exchanger



June 28, 1960 c, LYLE ETAL SEALING MEANS FOR ROTARY REGENERATIVE HEATEXCHANGER Filed larch 5, 1957 therethrou gh with opposite ends of saidregenerative mass being disposed in parallel planes lying normal to theof the rotor adapted to direct a low pressure fluid therethrough;second. inlet andflo'utlet ducts at opposite ends of the rotor lyingeccentric to the rotor axis adapted to direct; a'highpressure fluidthrough that portion of the f rotor'lying' therebetween; and sealingshoes surrounding the second inlet andtoutlet ducts'bearing frictionally7 against opposed surfaces of said'rotor to isolate the high pressurefiuid from the remainder of the matrix, said sealing shoesincluding'concentrically' disposed annular grooves in the face thereofcontacting the rotor whereby high pressure fluid'entrained in the matrixbetweensealing shoes beyond the second duct is direct to the matrixbetween sealing shoes in advance of said duct.

2. Heat exchange apparatus including a rotor containing amass ofregenerative heat exchange material 'rotor axis; first inlet and outletducts at opposite ends adapted todirect a second fluid-through theportion of therotor therebetween; sealing shoes encircling the secondinlet and outlet ducts having plane facesbiased into sealingrelationship with the end faces of the regenerative mass to precludefluid flow between the first and second ducts, said seal-ing shoeshaving concentric annular defining 'a multiplicity of axially disposedpassageways 7 extending therethrough with the opposite ends of saidregenerative mass being disposed in parallel, planes lying normal to therotor axis; first inlet and outlet ducts at oppositeends of the rotoradapted to direct a first fluid therethrough; second inlet and outletducts at opposite ends of r the rotor positioned eccentrically to therotor axis to direct the flow of a second fluid through a portion of therotor therebetween; sealing shoes encircling the second inlet and outletducts 'heid in sealing relation with the second inlet and ,outlet ductsand confronting the :the' regenerative-mass to preclude leakage 'offluid bea i t tween thefirst and' second ducts, said sealing shoeshaving endless groove means in the surface thereof encircling Q 7 endfaces of said regenerative mass adapted to provide a 7 7 labyrinthsealing effect and simultaneously afford flow V passageways for the flowof fluid between 'arcuately spaced grooves in the plane faces thereof(confronting axially opposite end faces of said regenerative 'massadapted to provide a labyrinth sealing effect and simultaneously afiordflow passageways permitting How of fluid between portions of theregenerative mass intermediate theisealing shoes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,681,209 Mudersbach June 15, 1954 "2,738,958 Hodge Mar. 20, 19562,743,945 I 'Bentele et al. May 1, 1956 2,757,907 Williams Aug. 7, 19562,821,367 Muller Jan. 28, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 459,992 Canada Sept. 27,1947

